How do we know that the Bible is divine rather than merely human in origin?

By Hank Hanegraaff

To defend the faith, we must be equipped to demonstrate that the Bible is divine rather than human in origin. When we accomplish this, we will be able to answer a host of other objections by simply appealing to Scripture.

To begin with, the Bible has stronger manuscript support than any other work of classical history—including Homer, Plato, Aristotle, Caesar, and Tacitus. Equally amazing is the fact that the Bible has been virtually unaltered since the original writing, as is attested by scholars who have compared the earliest manuscripts with manuscripts written centuries later. Additionally, the reliability of the Bible is affirmed by the testimony of its authors, who were eyewitnesses—or close associates of eyewitnesses—to the recorded events, as well as by secular historians who confirm the many events, people, places, and customs chronicled in Scripture.

Furthermore, archaeology is a powerful witness to the accuracy of the New Testament documents. Repeatedly, comprehensive archaeological fieldwork and careful biblical interpretation affirm the reliability of the Bible. Archaeological finds have, for instance, corroborated biblical details surrounding the trial that led to the fatal torment of Jesus Christ: Pontius Pilate did order Christ’s crucifixion, and Caiaphas was the high priest who presided over the religious trials of Christ. It is telling when secular scholars must revise their biblical criticisms in light of solid archaeological evidence.

Finally, the Bible records prophecies of actual events that could not have been known or predicted by mere chance or common sense. For example, the book of Daniel (written before 530 BC) accurately foretold the progression of kingdoms from Babylon through the Median and Persian empires to the further persecution and suffering of the Jews under Antiochus IV Epiphanes with his desecration of the temple, his untimely death, and freedom for the Jews under Judas Maccabeus (165 BC). It is statistically preposterous that any or all of the Bible’s specific, detailed prophecies could have been fulfilled by chance, good guessing, or deliberate deceit.

In part adapted from Resurrection and The Face That Demonstrates the Farce of Evolution

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

2 Timothy 3:16 NKJV

For further study, see Lee Strobel, The Case for Christ: A Journalist‘s Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998).